Friction shock-absorbing mechanism



Sept. 18, 1928.

J. F. OCONNOR FRICTION SHOCK ABSORBING MECHANISM- Filed May 21, 1927 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q Q jnuez ihr v wmraaaw?" Sept. 18,1928. 1,684,516

Jo F. O'CONNOR FRICTION SHOCK ABSORBING MECHANISM F l y 1, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 94; 6 7, 55 Z 4 i. M

, Z0 4. 2 Z7 4 zy 119 /7 i ll" Patented Sept. 18, 1928.

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CHICAGO, ILLINoI's, ACQRFORATION biz SEIzAWAizii.

imc'rion sxiocx-hnsoneiire Mitzi-Amen;

This inventioli relates to improvements in fiiction shock absorbing mechahislhs.

One object of the i nv'entionis to provide a fritio'n shock absorbing mechanism, especially adzipted fol rziil w'ay draft l'iggings 'aifording free spri'll i hctio'n (hiring the first part of the compression stroke to absorb the relatively lighter "sli'oeks'to Which'th'e fnechanism is subjected; followed by frietiojnill resistanee during the relliaihder ht the compr'essioh stroke to take care of the heavier shocks: ilieluding a spring cage arid friction shell whieh are relatively rhot' 'ible to -25, limited exterit durin "the first pm of the corripres'siori stroke referred to; and friction file-ans relatively iiioi able' ivith. respeet to the shell during the i 'emairlder of the compression stroke to produce theheevier resistance, wherein simple a'hd 'e'ili'cient ilieelis in. the form of liners in the friction shell, which are readily removable, proi id'e means for authoring the frietion shell to "the cage.

A more specific object of the il ivehtio'n is to provide; ill a mechanism of the-charhter indicated including it spring cage 21nd it reletivel mox' ahlefrie'tio'n shell, whei'ein the spl-ing eage comprises a casing open it one end only and having solid continuous walls providing a relatively heavy e'oluinn element, arid wherein means is prox' ided which is ireedilv detaeh'lble for anehering the frietion shell to the cage so drrzingd that the spring resistance elements may be inserted through the opeli front end; of the spring cage when the shell is detached therefrom.

Other objects of the inventorl will mote eleai'ly appezlr from the description ind claims hereinafter following.

In the drl in'gs foil'ning a pal'troft this specification, Figure 1 is a horizontal; longfit'udihil; sectional view of a portion of a rail- Wily draft riggirig showing my improvements in connection therewith. Figure 2 is a front end elevetioml View of the shook absorbing iheeliehisln brop'er; Figure 3 is" a longitudiililh vertical, seetlonel. View col'resliohding shbsiul'htinlly to the line 3'-3 of Figur 2 Figili'e' 4 is a transverse, i 'ertieal, sectional lew; partly broken away correspoz'iding substahtia'lly t0 the line 4-- & of Figui e 3 the spfirisr reis'tah c'e' elements being! removed. Arid Fig'tir'e' 5 is i detail perspective ifiew of at the lilier 'eleme'lits employed iil' eon r'itioii With ilhijr'otecl in'eehz'iriishi.

nel shaped center or draft sills of a reilwey ear i l'lderfrzime, to the irl'ner faces of which are secured the usual front stop lugs 11 -11 and rear stop lugs 1212. 1 The inher end of the drewbar is designated by 13*,fto Which is opel'atlvely connected a yoke i i of Well k i'own form; The shock absorbing lirle'eh'itn sm proper and tllefrollt main folloi'v'er 15 are disposed \vithin th'e yoke "and the yoke and the partstherew'ithin are sliijported ill operative position bi a detachable s'ziddle plate 16 fixed to the draft sills. I

My ilnprbiled shock ebsiorbihg mechanism proper; as shown; corh-iirises broi'dlfif it spring ei ge A; e f'i'ictioii shell B; piorde'd 1th a pair of liners C "C; of trim er; shoes I) and a hedge 510th F;-a main 'sprlng r esistariee iir'i tid'ditiorial spririg resistance H; and retainer boltlJ.

The SPllilg A the for-m of a Sllbs ililnti ally V reet'ain'gulir box-like casting having longltildlnally disposed; vertically sph-ced top" and bottom illis 17 17; loliii tudlnelly exte' ldilig spaced side Wellls 18-'18; and a trarisverse emend wall 19. The ehd wall 19 "cooperates with the real: stop legs 12 in the manner of the fishhl rear follower. The, interior sin-faces of the top u, l i, t 7 bottom and side Walls of the cage conform closely to the c'olitoiir of the tiiiiil ai r ah'ged sprin resista lice elements as most clearly illustreted in Figure 4 sml lv house the Sallie. It will be evident that 55 thus" eonstrueting the walls of the spring ge. c'ae of lleeyy rugged design is provided which m tions as in exc'e'ptihmlly strong- Eelhjn'llr' element, As ihost cleiirli shoii'ni iIl Fighre i the top arid bottorh i valls of the e ge are provided with ghlawa ys t "ii svei's'e iiiiier the walls 20 "serving as ebiitlii'eri'ts to hin'it ihwar'clmovnielrt or the fi'ieti'oxi shell B its hereinhftei' n ldie ele'hi'li pointed me. The side walls 18 (if the cage gee laterally ehljirged at the forward ends,

theieby providing iiiv'virdly eijzte'ndin hezivy-flzirigelike members 2i'2l. The

flehbgelilie iliell'ibers 21 eilt ziii zty as indicated at 22 ill Figiiiie 2 to fiioi id'e" recesses. therebx pemlttifig' in'ertie'ii of the wit hr ranged maid sprihg resistance element's through the fiblit end d'fth cage. It will be noted that all of the walls of the spring cage itre left inteet, the by greatly adding to the strength at the 9 Lit the fr'o'iit' end thereof, whieh pr giii?) The friction shell'B is also in the form of a substantially rectangular box-like casting having horizontally disposed spaced top and bottom walls ,2222,longitudinally extending spaced vertical side Walls 23-23 and a resistance A.

The side walls of the frictionshell are provided with liners C-C which present flat inwardly converging,interior opposed friction surfaces 26-26 cooperating with the friction shoes as hereinafter pointed out.

At the rear end, each liner C is provided with a pair of top and bottom, laterally outwardly extending lugs 27-27. The side walls 23 of the friction shell are provided with top and bottom openings 28 at the rear end thereof which form seats for the extensions 27 of the liners, thereby holding the liners against longitudinal movement with respect to the friction shellB. As clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2, the top and bottom lugs 27 of each liner C extend entirely through the openings28 of the corresponding side wall 23 0f the shell and project an appreciable distance therebe 0nd; When the parts are assembled, the filgs 27 serve also as means for anchoring the friction shell to the spring cage, the cage side walls 18 being provided with longitudinal guide slots 28'28, adapted. to accommodate the 'lugs '27. The front and rear end wallsof the guide slots 28 serve to limit the movement of the lugs longitudinally of the mechanism. Additional means is also'provided for positively limiting the inward movement of the friction shell, with respect to the spring cage, this means comprising top and bottom arms 2929, rearwardly extending from the friction shell and working in the guideways 19 of the spring cage; The inner ends of the arms 29 present flat abutment faces which cooperate with the-abutment faces 20 on the spring cage to arrest inward movement of the friction shell. In addition to servingas aimeans forlimitingthe inward movement of the friction shell with respect to the spring cage, the arms 29 which cooperate with the guides 19, also prevent lateral displacement of the friction shell with respect to the spring cage.

The friction shoes, which are two in number and designated by D and E,'are disposed at oppositesides of the friction shell. The friction shoes are of like construction except as hereinafter pointed out, Each of the friction shoes is provided with top and bettom inwardly extending lateral flanges 30- 30, which overhang the wedge block F.

On the outer side, each friction shoe is provided with a longitudinally, extending flat with the wedge block F. The wedge face of the shoe D is disposed at a relatively blunt releasing angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the mechanism and the wedgeface of the shoe E is dis osedat a relatively keen wedge-actingang e with respect to said axis. At the inner ends, the shoes D and E are cutaway as clearly indi: cated in Figures 1 and Bite accommodate the front end of the spring resistance H.

.The wedge block F has a flat front end face bearing directly on the main follower 15. At the inner end, the wedgeblocknFis provided with inwardly converging wedge faces '131 at the op osite sides thereof cooperating respective y with the wedge faces 31 of the shoes D'and E and correspond ingly inclined thereto. The mainfspringresistance G comprises twin arranged elemen ts,

each includinga relatively heavy outer coil and a lighter inner coil having their opposite ends bearing respectively on they end wall 24 of the friction shell and the rear end wall 19 of the spring cage.

-The spring resistance H is disposed within the friction shell and comprises a relatively heavy outer coil and a lighter inner coil, both coils having their front ends bearing on transverse abutment faces at the inner ends of the friction shoes D and E. The outer coil has the. rear end thereof bearing directly onthe end wall 24 of the friction shell, while the inner coil has the rear end thereof bearing on an inwardly extending hollow boss 32 on the endwall of the shell. As most clearly shown in Figures 1 and 5, the liners C are centrally cut away as indicated at 33 to provide concave longitudinally extending central grooves or recesses adapted to accommodate thelsideportio-ns of the spring resistance H. -By thus cutting awaythe liners, the maximum size of outer spring coil maybe employed, thereby adding greatly to the capacity of the gear.

The friction system ofthe mechanism held assembled by the retainenbolt J which has the head thereof anchored inthe hollow boss 32 of the end wall of the friction shell and is anchored to the wedge block F by the usual nut provided atthe front end of the bolt. In addition to holding the friction system assembled, the retainer bolt serves .front wedge 'face13l adapted to cooperate for adjustment of the mechanism to uniform overall length. ,lVhen the parts are assembled, the spring resistance H is placed under initial compression, thereby. compensating noses-1o for wear of the various friction and wed e faces, the expansive actionof the springdi tending to force the friction-shoe outwardly.

In assembling the mechanism, the main spring resistance elements G are entered into the spring cage through the forward end thereof. The frictionshellis then t-elescoped within the spring cage and forced inwardly to compress the springs G. ThelinersC are then placed within the friction shell and the lugs 27 inserted through-the openings 28 of the side walls of the shell so that the outer ends of the lugs will be engaged w thin the guide slots 28 of the cage behind the. abutment shoulder at the front end thereof The spring H and the friction shoes D and E are then inserted within the friction shell B and the wedge vblock F placed in positiointhe latter being secured by the retainer bolt J. It will be evidentthat with the ,,.parts thus assembled, the spring being under initial compress on will force the fiction shoes against the wedge faces of the block F which is anchored by the bolt J, forcing the shoes laterally outwardly against the liners C,

- thereby maintaining the liners in position.

The operationof. my improved shock absorbng mechanism, assuming a; compression stroke is as follows: Uponrlelative approach of the main follower 15 and the spring cage A, the wedge block F will be forced inwardly of the mechanism thereby setting up a wedging action between the wedge block and the shoes 1) and-E which arayieldinggly resisted [by the spring NH. Due to "the spreading, action thus set up, theshoes will (be forced into intmate frictionalcontact ith the liners C. On account of the friction existing between the shoes and the liners of the friction shell B, the latter will be carried inwardly substantially in unison with the wedge block F during the first part of the compression stroke, thereby compressing the mainspring'resistance G. The de scribed action will continue until inward movement, of the friction shell B limited by engagement of the rear end of the friction shell with the front edges of the Walls 17 of the spring cage. Upon movement of the shell'being arrestechthe friction shoes will be forced tomove inwardly of the shell aga nst the resistance of the springH during the remainder of the compression stroke,

thereby greatly augmenting the resistance offered. The described act-ion will COIltllllHi either until the actuating forceis reduced, or the front follower15 engagesthe front end of the friction shell, whereupon the pressure will be transmitted directly through the friction shell and the spring cage tothe stop lugs on the draft sills, the shelland cage together act ng as a solid column to transmit he lo Upon release of the mechanism when the actuating .force is reduced, the expansive action of the main spring resistance G will force the friction shell outwar 'lly -and' the expansive action of the spring resistance H will force the friction shoes and wedge bloclr outwardly, thus restoring these partsto normal position. ()utward movement'of the friction shell is positively limited by en- 'gagement of the lugs 27 on the liners with the abutment faces at the forward ends of the guide slots 28 on the side walls of the spring-cage. v

From the preceding description, taken in coimection with the drawings, it will he evident that I have provided exceedingly simple means for detachably connecting the friction shell to the springcage, whichnieans also serves as a liner for the friction shell and is maintained in anchoring position by the force exerted through the spring resistance of the friction system. I

I WhileI have herein shown and described what I now consider the. preferred manner of carrying out my invention, the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

1. In a friction shock absorbing mechanismfthe combination with a spring cage; of a friction shell telcscoped .within the spring cage, d shellandcage being relatively movable; removable means for lining said shell, said removable means being anchored. to'the spring:- cage, said anchorage .providing'for limited longitudinal movement between. the shell and cage; friction means cooperating with the liner means of the shell; and spring resistance means opposing movement of the shell and friction means inwardly of the mechanism.

2. In a friction shoclrabsorbing mechanismpthe combination with a spring cage:

of afriction,shelLsaid shell being provided with removable liners presenting interior friction surfaces; cooperating means on said liners and cage for anchoring the shell to the cage for limited movement relative, thereto, said means on said liners also anchoring the liners to the shell: friction means cooperating with the f 'iction surfaces of the liners: and means for yieldingly opposing move ly of the mechanism,

, 3. In a friction shock absorbin mechanism', the combination with a, spring cage;

of a friction shell having opposed walls; a liner removablyattached to each of said walls. said liners having longitudinally disposed friction surfaces, said liners having lateral extensions anchored to the shell and ment of the shell and friction means inwardllf) extending beyond the side wallsof the cage,

said anchoring means rem'ovably securing the liners to the side walls ofthe cage, said liners'having longitudinally disposed fric tion surfaces, said anchoring means of the liners providing a lost motion connection between the shell and cage for detachably connecting the shell to the cage for limited relative movement; friction-shoes cooperating with the liners; pressure-transmitting means having wedging engagement with the shoes; and means yieldingly opposing movement of the shell and shoes inwardly of the mechanism.

i 5. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a spring cage; of a friction shell; liners for the shell, said liners having lugs thereon having shouldered engagementwith the shell for detachably securing the liners to the shell and holdin'gthe same against longitudinal movement with respect to the shell; means on the cage cooperating withthe lugsof the liners providing a lost motion connection for anchoring the shell to thecage for limited relative movement thereto; friction shoes bearing on the liners; pressure-transmitting wedge means movable relatively to the cage for spreadlng the shoes apart to place the liners under lateral pressure and maintain the same in assembled relationwith the shell; and spring resistance means opposing relative movement of the shell and shoes inwardly of the mechanism.

6. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism. the combination with a spring cage; of a friction shell closed at the rear end, said cage and shell having limited movement toward and away from each other, saidshell being providedwith liners; means for detachably securing said liners to the shell, said securing means providing a lost motion connection between the shell and cage, said liners presenting interior friction surfaces; friction means cooperating with the liners; means for moving saidfriction means and cage relative to each other and forcing the friction means laterally outwardly against the liners; spring means within "the cage oppos ng movement of the shell inwardly of the cage; and spring means within the shell opposing movement of the friction means inwardly thereof.

7. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, thecombinat-ion with a-spn'ng cage;

spring res'istancemeans opposing movement of the shelland shoes-inwardly of the mechanism.

8. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a spring cage;

olding said shoes against the liners and the liners fixed to'theshell; and.

ofa friction shell;'eooperating guide means on the shell and cage for maintaining said cage and shell against relative lateraldis placement, but permitting relative longitud inal movement thereof; .liners within the shell; means on the liners for detachably anchoring the same to the shell against Ion.-

gitudinal movement, said last named means having a lost motion connection with the cage for anchoring the same to'the cage to limit outward movement of the shell; stop means on the cage for limiting inward-movement of the shell; friction means cooperating with the liners; pressure-transmitting spreading means for forcing said shoes apart placing theliners under lateral pressure and holding the same against the shell walls; and spring resistance means opposing movement of saidshoes and shell inwardlyof the mechanism. 7 r V 9. In a. friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a spring'eage open at one end only'and having continuous top, bottom, side and rear end walls; of a main spring resistance within said cage, said spring resistance being insertible through the frontend of the cage; a friction shell having a rear end wall functioning as a spring follower and maintaining said spring resist,- ance within the cage; liners within the friction shell having retaining means thereon for holding the same againstlongitudinal movement with respect to the shell, said re taining means being also anchored to the cage to limit outward movement of the. frictionshell; friction meanscooperating with and a spring resistance the friction shell; within the shell opposing relative movement of the friction means and shell.

10. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a spring cage: of a frictionshell guided for longitudinal movement with respect to the cage; liners within the shell and held againstlongitudir nal movement with respect thereto; means on the liners having a lost motion connection with the cage for anchoring the shell to the cage to limit outward movement of the shell; stop means on-the cage for limitopposing movement of the shoes and shell ing inward movement of the shell; friction inwardly of the mechanism.

means cooperating With the liners; pressure In Witness that I claim the foregoing I 10 transmitting spreading means for forcing have hereunto subscribed my name this 17th 5 the shoes apart and placing the liners under day of May, 1927.

lateral pressure and holding the same against the shell Walls; and spring resistance means JOHN F. OCONNOR. 

